Used Cooking Oil Isn’t Trash, Just Ask the Florida Man Busted For Stealing It
Used cooking oil might seem like trash, but for one Florida man, it was worth risking grand theft charges
So used cooking oil is actually worth money? Yeah, that gunky stuff left in your pan after you make French fries? That weird sludge you’re not supposed to pour down the drain (even though you probably did it once when no one was looking)? Turns out, there are people out there who want it bad. Like, steal-it-in-the-middle-of-the-night bad.
No, I’m not making this up. According to Gulf Coast News, A guy from Miami—Alexey Cuellar-Vega, 45 years old—got caught sneaking behind a restaurant in Naples, Florida. Not to rob the cash register. Not to steal a keg of beer. Nope. He was pumping out used cooking oil from a big black bin behind Roosters Food and Drink restaurant.
Now, I’m no criminal mastermind, but if I were a Florida man with thieving intentions, I’d probably go for something a little flashier. You know—money, electronics, maybe one of those claw machines full of mini plushies. I want one of those! But this guy? This guy was Grease Trap thirsty.
Police said, they spotted Cuellar-Vega driving away from behind the restaurant late at night. His van had two giant containers and a gas-powered pump filled with oil. When they asked him about it, he claimed it was part of his job. Suspicious, right? They let him go that time. But a few days later, when another officer responded to an alarm at a nearby plaza, guess who they found backed up to another grease container? Our guy, Cuellar-Vega. Hiding. Like a greasy raccoon.
Used Cooking Oil Treasure:
This time, they weren’t buying the “it’s my job” excuse. They searched his van again and found one container two-thirds full of used cooking oil. He was arrested and charged with grand theft. Over used grease. This dude could spend jail time for something I usually pour into a plastic bottle and forget about.
Honestly, this whole story made me question everything. First of all, where does all my used oil go after I stash it under the sink? Does the Used Cooking Oil Fairy exist? And second, how the heck is this stuff valuable? Apparently, it’s turned into biofuel or something, which makes sense. But still, imagine sitting in jail and telling your cellmate you're in for stealing fryer grease. Moral of the story? Grease is gold now. And if you’re gonna be a thieving Florida man, at least go big. Because otherwise, you just end up being the guy behind bars with a reputation as one greasy thief.
